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The best time to really detail your motor is when it is out of the car. You can get to every nut, bolt and bracket and do a thorough job. This article is not a real How-To but more of a Helpful Hint type article. It will show you things you should do before the motor is re-installed. How you can prepare the engine and just how many of the accessory engine parts can be installed before the motor is dropped back into the chassis. It will also give you a type of order that you can follow to make the installation easier.
Our Project 73 was a prime example because the motor had to be totally prepared before we re-installed it into the car. We enlisted the help of Zip Products, Inc., 8067 Fast Lane, Mechanicsville, VA 23111, (800) 962-9632. to complete this project. The end results speak for themselves, so let’s get started.
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01: Start by cleaning, sanding or beadblasting all of the engine brackets, pulleys, bolts, adapters, etc. The cleaner, the better. |
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02: After everything is prepared, you can start the refinishing. Bolts, brackets, etc. that need a natural steel look can be refinished with Seymours Stainless Steel Spray. NOTE: To refinish bolts, studs, etc., use a large block of wood with holes drilled into it. This way you can stand up each bolt and keep them in order while you refinish them. |
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03: Use Eastwood’s Silver Cad for items such as spark plug shields that have to have a cadmium finish. |
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04: Items that need a phosphate gray finish can be refinished with Eastwood’s Spray Gray. This also works great on items that have to have a cast iron look.
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05: Tape off any item that cannot be totally disassembled such as this air conditioner compressor before you refinish it. |
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06: For items that need a plastic coating on a portion of it like plug wire looms, use Plasti-Dip. |
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07: You can start the engine assembly by installing the carb, carb fuel line to fuel pump and crankshaft pulley.. Remember to push the fuel pump push rod up before you install the fuel pump. |
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08: The correct exhaust manifold bolts and lock tabs can now be installed. Remember to install the bolts in their proper locations and crimp over the locking tabs after you have torqued the exhaust bolts to specifications. |
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09: With the exhaust manifolds in place you can install the spark plug shields, plug looms and dipstick. |
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10: The engine accessories can now be installed. Start with the alternator assembly. |
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11: The air conditioner exhaust bracket can be installed, if so equipped. |
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12: Assemble and install the power steering pump, bracket assembly and belt. |
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13: Mount the air conditioner compressor, belt, and bracket along with the water pump heater hose nipple. |
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14: Make sure the motor is at T.D.C. (Top Dead Center) and then install and route the plug wires. We obtained correct date coded wires from Zip and they looked and fit perfectly. |
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15: If your Corvette is an automatic, install the torque converter now and torque it to specs. NOTE: Make sure that the torque converter is filled with transmission fluid before you install it. |
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16: The motor mounts and lower plug wire shields can now be installed. |
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17: Install the complete emission control system, pump, brackets, tubes, hoses and even the belt. |
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18: The transmission can now be mounted to the block and torqued to specs. |
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19: Install the starter and support bracket. Make sure you have the support bracket. This always seems to get lost over the years. |
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20: Install the engine balance bar to the engine and then install the complete engine and transmission as one unit. This saves alot of time and aggravation. Do not try to install the engine without a balance bar. The time and aggravation you spend trying to install the motor with chains is just not worth it, not to mention the damage you could do. |
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21: With the engine in place, route and install the transmission cooler lines. |
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22: Connect the alternator wiring and adjust the belt tension. Also install all of the remaining engine gauge harnesses. |
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23: Slide the heater hoses and clamps into place. Connect the power brake booster hose and clamp. |
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24: The radiator can now be installed. We received one from Zip and it was a perfect fit. |
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25: Mount and install the radiator mounting brackets and the lower radiator hose. |
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26: Slide the fan shroud into place but do not install it. Leave it loose so that you can install the fan and clutch assembly. Once the fan and clutch is installed, then align and tighten the shroud into place. Align and tighten the fan belt. |
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27: The fuel hoses to fuel pump can now be connected. Remember to use the right size hose and clamp available from Zip. |
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28: Install the top radiator hose and radiator overflow hose. Fill the radiator. Fill the crankcase and install a fully charged battery. Check all of the electrical connections, plug all open vacuum ports, put gas in the tank, prime the carburetor and disconnect the coil wire. Turn the motor over until you have oil pressure. Re-connect the coil and, if you did everything right, the motor should start needing only minor adjustment. If it doesn’t, adjust the distributor and try again. |
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29: After you have the motor running and adjusted, install the ignition shielding. |
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30: Install a K&N Air Filter. These can be washed and re-used. It will be the only air cleaner element you will ever need again. |
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31: Re-install the hood. Carefully lower it and check the hood gap alignment. Grease the hood catches and make sure the latch dowels line up with the hood receiver. Latch and release the hood a few times. Make sure the hood opens and closes properly and all of your alignment gaps have not changed. If everything checks out, tighten all of the bolts. |
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32: Here is the engine installed and ready to go. Everything is cleaned, detailed and routed just the way the assembly manual showed. Good for another 23 years. |
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33: This is the last sight we saw as the Project 73 went down the road. |
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DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS:
DETAILING YOUR CORVETTE'S ENGINE
SOURCE:
Zip Products, Inc.
8067 Fast Lane
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
(800) 962-9632
PARTS LIST:
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